''It wasn't around his neck,'' Frazier said. ''She just asked him where it was, and they started picking on each other. It turned into something serious.''

Ward told officers she playfully grabbed Gordon's hair, and Gordon responded by pulling Ward's hair. Then, she said, Gordon pushed her down to the floorboard and started ''stomping her'' and ripped her shirt and bra. She said Gordon finally pushed her out of the car.

Ward said she started walking away, but Gordon came after her with a belt in his hand, making threats. Ward said she ran until she was too tired to go any farther.

Ward told police she pulled a kitchen knife, but Gordon hit her with the belt.

She threatened to stab him if he came any closer.

At that point, Gordon's mother, Ramus Gordon, came out of the supermarket and asked what was going on. Seconds later, Gordon drew closer to Ward and was stabbed.

Ward then ran to her mother's house, but about 4 p.m. she turned herself in at the Clermont Police Department. She told officers she threw the knife in a dumpster, but it couldn't be found even after the trash was emptied out on the Winn-Dixie parking lot, Frazier said Wednesday.

Frazier said it is possible the killing was an act of self-defense, but the final determination must be made by prosecutors. He said police had no choice but to jail Ward, who works in food services at Lake Highland Nursing & Assisted Care Center in Clermont.

There are several types of murder-related charges in Florida, but police didn't specify a type on their arrest report.

Gordon was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he died at 4:25 p.m., the report says.

Frazier said Gordon recently had been charged with possession of crack cocaine, and his case was pending in the Lake County court system.